A large-scale bee keeping programme is being launched in the Mihintale Divisional Secretariat area on the instructions of Anuradhapura Government Agent Janaka, Jayasundara.
The NGO Helvetas has come forward to provide financial assistance to make this livelihood empowerment venture a success.
Mihintale Divisional Secretary Anuruddha Nayaka Bandara told the Daily News that initially 54 farmers selected from the 25 Grama Niladari divisions in the DS division have been trained in various aspects of bee-keeping and at present are actively engaged in practising the trade.
“Our objective is to extend a helping hand to low-income group families in the division to empower their livelihoods. Helvetas has initially invested around Rs. 2 million to commence the bee-keeping programme. Each family selected to join the bee-keeping project is given two bee-keeping boxes and other essential equipment to start the project. Helvetas has arranged marketing facilities to sell the honey,” he said. A workshop for the 54 selected prospective bee-keepers was held recently in Ambagaswewa village in the Mihintale Ds division.
Helvetas Sri Lanka branch head Subashi Disanayake who was present at the workshop said that the interest of the Mihintale Divisional Secretary and the other stakeholders have been instrumental for the successful commencement of the bee-keeping project. She said that Helvetas is assisting to implement bee-keeping projects in Kebithigollewa and Medawachchiya DS divisions and will expand the project in other DS divisions depending on the success of the pilot projects. She revealed that already 84 families in Kebithigollewa, Rambewa and Medawachchiya DS divisions are being encouraged to take to commercial bee-keeping.
Nimal Wijesinghe-Anuradhapura Additional District Group Corr.